Crude oil processing systems typically have pressure regulators in place that maintain or control the pressure of a process fluid within the system. Maintaining and controlling the pressure of the fluid within the system ensures that pressure sensitive instruments are protected and that the system remains balanced throughout the process. Back pressure regulators are typically employed to hold pressure from downstream while allowing fluids to be pumped from upstream.
Under typical operating conditions, the internal components of back pressure regulators require regular maintenance. Back pressure regulators typically include multiple threadedly coupled sections and sealing surfaces. The sealing surfaces tend to wear out over time and result in leaks resulting in the need for regular maintenance. In most back pressure regulator configurations, the only way to access the internal components for maintenance is by removing the top half of the back pressure regulator, which requires unthreading at least two threaded connections. The process of removing the top half of the back pressure regulator tends to be time intensive because of the multiple threadedly coupled sections.